Builds "Blue Steel" GX470 Expedition Build (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter 470SNC
- Start date
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Should be. If I think about it I'll check part numbers when I'm at work tomorrow.
470SNC
03 GX470
- Thread starter
- #23
Here's some recent pics from my trip to the Off Camber event in Mormon Lake and Sedona, AZ. last weekend. So beautiful out there, the GX successfully did the Broken Arrow trail minus some scrapes and front bumper bruises, great and fun trail!
About to go down Devil's Staircase, not for the weak hearted, way steeper than the pictures show
About to go down Devil's Staircase, not for the weak hearted, way steeper than the pictures show
Hey, I'm in flagstaff and grew up in Sedona. Would love to do some wheeling. Zap me for the next run maybe,,,,,
I drive Clifford, a red(ish) triple locked 80 series on a 3 inch OME lift.
I drive Clifford, a red(ish) triple locked 80 series on a 3 inch OME lift.
Did you play with DAC? That button is hilariously fun.
470SNC
03 GX470
- Thread starter
- #28
As soon as I got into camp, I pulled the traction control via the brake booster. That made for some awesome fun powerslides all weekend and we hit 70 on a few sections of loose dirt road in 4Hi, good times!
EDIT: I found the DAC button lol, I mounted a phone holder right there, and I didnt even see it haha
EDIT: I found the DAC button lol, I mounted a phone holder right there, and I didnt even see it haha
Last edited:
470SNC
03 GX470
- Thread starter
- #31
Finally got around to dropping off the coilovers to Icon for warranty of the top plates and full seal rebuild as well as replacing the lower mount bearings. Met up with Jeremy last Saturday for a mini mod day since he needed to work on his gas tank issue (Thanks Jeremy).
After a long tiring day, we got the All Pro tubular upper control arms, Icon 2.5 extended travel coilovers with reservoirs, Wheelers SuperBumps, and rear Icon 2.5 piggyback shocks installed. It took a bit to figure out how to get the electronic dampening control stuff for the front/rear shocks off so we could remove the stock coilover assembly and some trimming on the passenger side plastics for the wiper fluid reservoir and resi clearance.
As for the rear lift, I used a trick the GX guys found out, and put spacers between the frame and right height sensor brackets to trick the truck into thinking it is lower than it really is, and thus having the pump slightly overinflate the bags to give the rear a 1.5" lift. This is temporary to fit the 285 Cooper tires coming mid week, since I already have the rear Icon coils, just haven't ordered the airbag to coil conversion kit from MetalTech yet. So far happy with the outcome, it sits level with the front lift and has the clearance for the new tires.
Parts and tools everywhere:
All stock front suspension removed:
All Pro UCAs/Icon 2.5 extended travel coilovers w resis/Wheelers Superbumps installed with no more front sway bar:
Rear Icon 2.5 piggyback rear shocks with ride height sensor trick done:
As she sits after the front coilovers settled and the rear leveled out, 285 Cooper Discoverer ATPs arrive midweek to Discount Tire so it wont look as funny with the tiny 265 tires now:
Super happy with the lift, even more so when the rear conversion kit and tires are on, ready for Pismo!
After a long tiring day, we got the All Pro tubular upper control arms, Icon 2.5 extended travel coilovers with reservoirs, Wheelers SuperBumps, and rear Icon 2.5 piggyback shocks installed. It took a bit to figure out how to get the electronic dampening control stuff for the front/rear shocks off so we could remove the stock coilover assembly and some trimming on the passenger side plastics for the wiper fluid reservoir and resi clearance.
As for the rear lift, I used a trick the GX guys found out, and put spacers between the frame and right height sensor brackets to trick the truck into thinking it is lower than it really is, and thus having the pump slightly overinflate the bags to give the rear a 1.5" lift. This is temporary to fit the 285 Cooper tires coming mid week, since I already have the rear Icon coils, just haven't ordered the airbag to coil conversion kit from MetalTech yet. So far happy with the outcome, it sits level with the front lift and has the clearance for the new tires.
Parts and tools everywhere:
All stock front suspension removed:
All Pro UCAs/Icon 2.5 extended travel coilovers w resis/Wheelers Superbumps installed with no more front sway bar:
Rear Icon 2.5 piggyback rear shocks with ride height sensor trick done:
As she sits after the front coilovers settled and the rear leveled out, 285 Cooper Discoverer ATPs arrive midweek to Discount Tire so it wont look as funny with the tiny 265 tires now:
Super happy with the lift, even more so when the rear conversion kit and tires are on, ready for Pismo!
470SNC
03 GX470
- Thread starter
- #32
My 285/70/17 Cooper Discoverer ATPs finally came in yesterday, so quick trip to America's Tire and they are mounted! First impressions are these are a very aggressive all terrain, way more so than my old Falkens and they are pretty tall for a 285. Right now as she sits, the top of the seat base comes up to me mid chest and I'm 6'-0" tall. Very smooth on the road with little noise, and a little minor rubbing at the front of the wheel on the fender lining which will get trimmed. About an inch or two of clearance at the body mount so that worked out perfect, no body mount chop for me! Overall, super stoked on the way it looks, Bud Builts and sliders next!
looking mean! i like it.
Looks huge, but good! Do you think it will settle any?
Looks awesome!!!
470SNC
03 GX470
- Thread starter
- #36
TOYOTARIG, this was the suspension from my old FJ just rebuilt so it probably wont settle any, its as she sits. Sam, thanks man pretty stoked with the way it turned out.
Just got an alignment done yesterday, added some caster per All Pro's alignment recommendations, ended up rubbing front fender liners so ended up trimming the liners and the bottom inner portions of the bumper at the corners where the liner mounted up. Also installed new worm drive style CV clamps to replace the stock weak bands that were leaking after lift.
Just got an alignment done yesterday, added some caster per All Pro's alignment recommendations, ended up rubbing front fender liners so ended up trimming the liners and the bottom inner portions of the bumper at the corners where the liner mounted up. Also installed new worm drive style CV clamps to replace the stock weak bands that were leaking after lift.
470SNC
03 GX470
- Thread starter
- #37
Finally, the Metaltech rear airbag to coil conversion kit came in, picked up FJ rear rubber spring isolators from my buddy at Toyota of Orange, and installed the conversion kit along with Icon rear coils on Saturday morning. The process was pretty quick not too long, maybe a couple of hours. After we figured out how to access the airbag top retaining clips and removing the air lines, the rest of the install was very similar to a typical FJ rear spring install. Since the GX rear axle is pretty much a FJ/4runner axle minus the spring perches, the conversion kit comes with metal bolt on perches to where the airbag mounts to the axle, as well as a rubber spring stop for the bottom of the spring to sit on. All in all, an easy kit although Metaltech included some kind of tool which was a copper spring with no instructions on how to use it or where its used for which I thought odd.
Ready to install:
All mounted up:
Better view of the conversion kit at axle:
All in all, a way better and smoother ride than the overinflated airbag trick I was using to lift the rear, now she's ready to hit some dirt!
Ready to install:
All mounted up:
Better view of the conversion kit at axle:
All in all, a way better and smoother ride than the overinflated airbag trick I was using to lift the rear, now she's ready to hit some dirt!
470SNC
03 GX470
- Thread starter
- #38
A little write up on the rear Metaltech conversion kit and coil spring install for you GX guys, since I haven't found one:
1)Loosen lugs on rear wheels
2)Get the tallest jack and jack stands you can
3)Jack up by center rear axle diff pumpkin as high as you can and set jack stands on frame rails in front of rear lower link mounts and take off wheels
4)Undo top and lower shock bolts/unclip dampening control plug on shock, and top sway bar link bolts (both sides)
5)Easier to take off rear shock completely IMO but you can leave it on with the bottom mount bolt still attached
6)Near where the top shock bolt mounts, take a flashlight and look between the frame rail and the fenderwell metal, at the top of the airbag mount area, you will see a metal clip with a L tab. Take a long screwdriver and mallet and hit at the tab part, this will dislodge the airbag retainer clip (do for both sides)
7)This is the tricky part, at the top of the airbag mount, you will see the air lines going into a 90 degree elbow at the top of the airbag. First is a protective cover which you just engage the tabs to slide off. Next, you will see the metal 90 degree elbow and the air line, in the metal elbow there are two tiny holes on either side of the air line, where you can use long nose pliers to engage both tabs to release the air line. If you don't plan on going back to stock, you can just cut the air lines and delete them all the way back to the compressor.
8)The airbag will deflate once the air lines are off, deflate them all the way and they should pop out of the lower mount.
9)The axle should be fully drooped, take jack to opposite side lower shock mount and jack up till the axle is fully articulated to one side
10)Start with the side with more clearance, take top rubber spring isolator, slip into top of spring coil, and take just the rubber spring collar from the conversion kit and fit it to the bottom of the coil.
11)Slide in the whole coil assembly with rubber pieces onto axle. Take the metal bolt on spring perch from the conversion kit and slide it within the coil to mount, fit bolt and nut and tighten down.
12)Do vice versa on opposite side
13)Once coils and mounts are in, remount rear shocks and upper sway bar mount bolt
Just like that, you're done, its easily doable if you've wrenched on anything before.
1)Loosen lugs on rear wheels
2)Get the tallest jack and jack stands you can
3)Jack up by center rear axle diff pumpkin as high as you can and set jack stands on frame rails in front of rear lower link mounts and take off wheels
4)Undo top and lower shock bolts/unclip dampening control plug on shock, and top sway bar link bolts (both sides)
5)Easier to take off rear shock completely IMO but you can leave it on with the bottom mount bolt still attached
6)Near where the top shock bolt mounts, take a flashlight and look between the frame rail and the fenderwell metal, at the top of the airbag mount area, you will see a metal clip with a L tab. Take a long screwdriver and mallet and hit at the tab part, this will dislodge the airbag retainer clip (do for both sides)
7)This is the tricky part, at the top of the airbag mount, you will see the air lines going into a 90 degree elbow at the top of the airbag. First is a protective cover which you just engage the tabs to slide off. Next, you will see the metal 90 degree elbow and the air line, in the metal elbow there are two tiny holes on either side of the air line, where you can use long nose pliers to engage both tabs to release the air line. If you don't plan on going back to stock, you can just cut the air lines and delete them all the way back to the compressor.
8)The airbag will deflate once the air lines are off, deflate them all the way and they should pop out of the lower mount.
9)The axle should be fully drooped, take jack to opposite side lower shock mount and jack up till the axle is fully articulated to one side
10)Start with the side with more clearance, take top rubber spring isolator, slip into top of spring coil, and take just the rubber spring collar from the conversion kit and fit it to the bottom of the coil.
11)Slide in the whole coil assembly with rubber pieces onto axle. Take the metal bolt on spring perch from the conversion kit and slide it within the coil to mount, fit bolt and nut and tighten down.
12)Do vice versa on opposite side
13)Once coils and mounts are in, remount rear shocks and upper sway bar mount bolt
Just like that, you're done, its easily doable if you've wrenched on anything before.
Nice write up. My passenger side bag was fully deflated (probably the one with the leak) and I gave it a firm yank and it came out. The driver side was fully inflated and a bear to get out until I unbolted the compressor and figured out how to disconnect the air lines. At one point, I almost gave up and cut the lines to let the air out.
